Roddick glad to survive third round

WIMBLEDON, England - As Centre Court fans applauded Andy Roddick's latest Wimbledon win, he gave them a thumbs-up sign, then puffed out his cheeks and exhaled in relief.

Straight-set victories are rarely so harrowing as the one Roddick earned Friday. He won every game he served, and that was just enough to beat Tommy Robredo 7-6 (5), 6-4, 6-4.

The No. 5-seeded Roddick will play in the second week at Wimbledon for the first time.

''You're thankful to still be around,'' he said. ''The first week's always tough. There are a lot of guys with not a lot to lose just gunning. This is a big stage where they want to leave their mark. To survive it is tough.''

Long touted as the next great American player, Roddick has a spotty record in Grand Slam events. He's into the fourth round for only the fourth time in the 11 major tournaments he has played. He's seeking his first Grand Slam title.

''The first one is always the toughest to get,'' said Roddick, 20. ''The biggest fear is the fear of the unknown - if you haven't done it before, you don't know yet. But I'm starting to believe in myself, and I'm definitely here to try to win this tournament.''

Roddick has yet to lose a set in three matches, and he's 8-0 on grass since Brad Gilbert became his coach earlier this month. He parted with coach Tarik Benhabiles, his coach since 1999, after losing in the first round at the French Open.

''The only thing Tarik and I talked about - I said, 'I just need something fresh, something new, something exciting,''' Roddick said. ''Brad was the person. His name most excited me. I thought there was the best potential there.''

The No. 25-seeded Spaniard lost serve only twice himself, was the more aggressive player early and kept Roddick off balance with occasional drop shots.

''He played a very smart match tactically,'' Roddick said. ''He didn't let me stay in one spot for too long. He was spot-on with the shots he went for, and that's the best he has served against me. He definitely surprised me.''

As often happens on grass, the match swung on just a handful of points. Robredo made only two mistakes in the tiebreaker - a double fault, and then a forehand error on his final shot - and they cost him the set.

The pivotal game in the second set was the fifth, when Roddick chased down yet another Robredo drop shot to earn the first break of the match. Roddick broke at love for a 2-1 lead in the final set and served it out from there.

''I feel like I'm playing good tennis at a Grand Slam,'' Roddick said, ''and that's welcome.''